Fresh from the All-Star break, the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers played a game for the ages on Friday night. The Kings got a two-overtime 176-175 win over the Clippers in what was the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history. The only game that saw two teams combine for more points was Detroit Pistons’ 186-184 win over the Denver Nuggets in triple overtime in 1983.
The game saw an even contest in the first quarter before the Clippers went on to build a significant lead in the next two periods. The LA team held onto their advantage throughout most of the fourth quarter, being 14 points in front with less than five minutes to go in regulation. However, the Kings didn’t have any intention of giving up, crawling their way back with a 22-8 run that included a three-pointer from Malik Monk as the clock was winding down.
The Clippers raced to a healthy lead in the first overtime as well, but the Kings rallied again to force an additional five minutes. At that point, it was about which team had fresher legs and more focus, something that ended up tipping the game to Sacramento’s side.
The Kings were led by All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, who had 42 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Malik Monk contributed 45 points off the bench on 15-24 shooting.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George led the Clippers with 44 and 34 points, respectively. Newly-acquired veteran point guard Russell Westbrook also made a solid contribution in his debut as a Clipper, scoring 17 points and adding 14 assists.
With the win, the Kings improved to 34-25 and kept the No. 3 seed in their possession. The Clippers remained in the fifth spot with a 33-29 record.
